Folding baby crib



June 25, 1963 K. LUTES 3,094,714

' FOLDING BABY CRIB Filed June 23, 1960 2 Sheetsv-Shee't 1 ill INVENTOR KEENE LUTES DECEASED,

BY JOSEPH C. LEWIS, ADMINISTRATOR ATTOQ N EYS June 25, 1963 K. LUTES FOLDING BABY CRIB 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23. 1960 INVENTOR KEENE LUTES, DECEASED, BY JOSEPH C. LEWIS, ADMINISTRATOR AT TO RN EYS direct and mesne assignments, to Russell Yealey, Walton, Ky.

Substitute for abandoned application Ser. No. 177,722, Aug. 4, 1950. This application June 23, 1960, Ser. N

3 Claims. (Cl. 99)

This invention relates to folding beds, and more particularly to an improved folding baby crib.

The present application is a substitute for patent application Serial No. 177,722, filed August 4, 1950, now abandoned.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved folding childs bed which is very simple in construction, which is easy to fold to collapsed position or to unfold to a usable position, and which is very sturdy in construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved foldable childs bed which may be employed either as a crib or as a rockable cradle, the bed being foldable to a very compact bulk, being relatively inexpensive to manufacture and being readily transportable.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved childs bed of the present invention shown set up for use;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical, longitudinal cross-sectional view taken through the bed of FIGURE 1, and showing the bed in pantly folded position;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical, longitudinal, cross-sectional view taken through the bed of FIGURES 1 and 2 in completely folded position;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the folded bed of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the bed arranged without guard rails, whereby the bed may be used for an older child;

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational View of the bed of FIGURES l to 5, shown with rocker elements attached thereto, whereby it may be used as a rocking cradle.

Referring to the drawings, 11 and 12 respectively designate the head and footboard elements of the bed, and 13 and 14 respectively designate side rails secured to the head and footboards. The side rails 13 and 14 are hinged at their lower mid-portions, as shown at 15, and are hingedly connected respectively to the headboard 11 and footboard 12 at their upper end corners, as shown respectively at 16 and 17, whereby said side rails may be folded upwardly, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, to positions wherein their segments extend parallel to each other between the head and footboards 11 and 12, as shown in FIGURE 4. Secured to the respective pairs of opposing side rail segments are the supporting panels 18 and 19, said panels 18 and 19 being movable along with the respective opposed pairs of side rail segments, as shown in FIGURE 2.

The head and footboards 11 and 12 are provided with the legs 20, 2t} and 21, 21. Rigidly secured to the legs 2t), 20 are the inwardly extending block members 22, 22, and rigidly secured to the legs 21, 21 are similar inwardly extending block members 23. As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5, the block members 22, 22 and 23, 23 supportingly underlie the respective side rail segment when said side rail segments are in their horizontal, unfolded positions shown in FIGURES l and 5.

The side rails 13 and 14 are provided adjacent the legs 21 with pivoted latch members 24 which are lock- 3,094,714 Patented June 25, v1963 2 ingly engageable with pins 25 projecting from the block members 23, as shown in FIGURE 1. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES 1 to 4, an outwardly projecting pin element 26 is provided on the side rail elements 13 and 14 adjacent the leg members 20, 20, said pin elements 26 being arranged to be lockingly engaged by the latch members 24 when the side rails are in folded positions, as shown in FIGURE 4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URE 5, identical latch elements 24, 24 are pivotally conneoted to the end portions of the respective side rails 13 and 14, said latch elements being lockingly engageable with pin elements 25- provided respectively on'the block members 22 and 23.

Hinged to diagonally opposite, vertical margins of the head and footboard members 11 and 12 are the respective gate members 27 and 28, as shown in FIGURE 1. Hinged to the gate members 27 and 28 are additional gate sections 29 and 30. The free vertical margins of the gate sections 29 and 30 are provided with outwardly projecting dowels 31 adapted to engage in recesses formed in the diagonally opposite, vertical, marginal portions of the head and footboard members 11 and 12 with which said gate sections engage, as shown in FIGURE 1. Latch elements 32 are pivoted to the respective side rail members 13 and 14 adapted to lockingly engage pin elements 33 projecting from the gate sections 27 and 28, as shown in FIGURE 1, and similar pivoted latch elements 34 are provided on the free vertical margins of the respective gate sections 29 and 30 adapted to lockingly engage pin elements 35 on the respective diagonally opposite, vertical, marginal portions of the headboard elements 11 and 12, whereby the gates on both sides of the bed are securely locked in the position-s shown in FIG- URE 1. By this arrangement, the bed may be employed as a babys crib by providing respective mattress seg ments on the panel members 18 and 19. In the modified form of bed illustrated in FIGURE 5, the gate members 27, 28, 29 and 30 are omitted, whereby the bed may be used for an older child. The crib of FIGURE 1 may be employed as a play pen by omitting or removing the mattress segments.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the bed of FIGURE 1 may be converted into a rockable cradle by securing transverse, bowed rocker bars 36 to the lower ends of the respective pairs of legs 20, 20 and 21, 21.

In folding the bed of FIGURE 1 to a collapsed condition, the latches 34 and 32 are first released and the gate elements are swung inwardly, the gate element 28 being disposed adjacent the footboard member 12 and the gate element 30 being disposed adjacent the gate element 28, and similarly, the gate element 27 being disposed adjacent the headboard element 11 and the gate element 29 being disposed adjacent the gate element 37, as shown in FIG- URE 3. After the gate elements have been folded to the positions above described, the latch members 24 are released and the side rails 13 and 14 are folded upwardly to the positions shown in FIGURE 4, the segments of said side rail elements being locked in their upwardly folded positions by means of the latch elements 24, and the pins 26. The mattress segments, shown at 37 in dotted view in FIGURE 3, follow the movements of the respective panel sections 18 and 19.

The top marginal portions of the head and footbo-ard elements 11 and 12 are formed on their inside surfaces with elongated, horizontal grooves 40. The grooves 40 terminate at the corner post elements of the respective head and footboard members, said post elements being shown, for example, at 38 and 39 in FIGURE 4. Designated at 41 is a cover plate member which is formed with elongated, marginal projections 42, 42 adapted to be received in the respective grooves 40 of the head and footboard members 11 and 12, with the end portions 43 and 44 overlapping the upper end edges of the folded side rails 13 and 14, as shown in FIGURE 4. Designated at 45, 45 are respective elongated bolts extending through the opposed top corner portions of the head and footboard members 11 and 12. The bolt members 45, 45 are provided with wing nuts 46, 46, whereby said bolt members are readily installed or removed. As shown in FIGURE 4, bolt members 4-5, 45 overlie the end portions 43 and 44 of the plate member 4-1, preventing said plate member from moving upwardly after it has been positioned in covering relation to the folded mattress and the upper end edges of the folded side rails 13 and 14. The cover plate 41 is provided at its intermediate portion with a carrying handle 47 which facilitates the transportation of the folded bed.

It will be clearly apparent from FIGURE 4 that substantially all portions of the mattress and bedding are covered and are protected against soiling or other contamination when the bed is in its folded position. To unfold the bed, it is merely necessary to unfasten the bolts 45, 45, :and to release the latch member 24 from engagement with the pins 26. The cover plate 41 may then 'be removed by spreading the head and footboard members 11 and 12 apart slightly, and then the bed may be completely unfolded by extending the head and footboard members to their positions of maximum separation, whereby the side rails 13 and 14 descend to horizontal positions, as shown in FIGURE 1. The side rail members may then be locking in horizontal positions by means of the pivoted latch members 24, and the pins 25 and the gate members may then be unfolded to their positions shown in FIGURE 1, and locked therein by means of latch members 32. and 34. It will be understood that the gate members are positioned by engaging the dowels 31 in the recesses provided therefor in the opposing head and footboard members 11 and 12.

While certain specific embodiments of an improved childs bed or crib have been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. 'In a folding bed, the combination of head and footboards, a pair of parallel foldable side bars pivotally connected at their ends to said boards, each side bar being hinged at its mid-portion and arranged so that its mid-portion is swingable upwardly when the side bar is folded, respective abutment members carried by the lower portions of the head and footboa-rds and arranged to supportingly underlie the side bars when said side bars are in unfolded positions, respectively inwardly swingable gate members hinged to respective diagonally opposite vertical margins ofsaid head and footboards, means for detachably connecting said gate members in parallel longitudinally extending positions to the remaining diagonally opposite vertical margins of said head and footboards, the inside surfaces of the top marginal portions of the head and footboards being respectively formed with horizontal opposing grooves, a fiat cover member arranged to overlie the hinged edges of the side bars when said side bars have been folded upwardly and the head and footboards have been moved near each other, respective opposing longitudinal marginal projections on said cover member fitting into the respective horizontal grooves of the head and footboards, inter-engageable releasable latch means arranged to connect the folded segments of the side bars to secure the side bars in folded positions, and additional releasable means adapted to connect the top portion of the headboard to the top portion of the footboard.

2. In a folding bed, the combination of head and footboard, foldable side bars pivotally connected to said boards, said side bars being medially pivotable and arranged to be swingable medially thereof when the side bars are folded, abutment means carried by the head and footboards and arranged to supportingly underlie the side bars when said side bars are in an unfolded position, respective swingable gate members pivotally connected to respective vertical margins of said head and footboards, means for detachably connecting said gate members to the remaining vertical margins of said head and footboards, the inside surfaces of the top marginal portions of the head and footboards being respectively formed with horizontal opposing grooves, a flat cover member arranged to overlie the pivotable edges of the side bars when said side bars have been folded and the head and footboards have been moved near each other, respective opposing longitudinal marginal projections on said cover member fitting into the respective horizontal grooves of the head and footboards, latch means arranged to connect the folded segments of the side bars to secure said side bars in folded position, and additional releasable means adapted to connect a portion of the headboard to a portion of the footboard.

3. In a folding bed, the combination of head and footboards, foldable side bars pivotally connected to said boards, said side bars being hinged at their mid-portion and arranged so that said mid-portion is swingable when said side bars are folded, abutment means carried by the head and footboards and arranged to supportingly underlie the side bars when said side bars are in an unfolded position, respective swingable gate members pivotally connected to respective diagonally opposite vertical margins of said head and footboards, means for detachably connecting said gate members to the remaining diagonally opposite vertical margins of said head and footboards, the inside surfaces of the top marginal portions of the head and footboards being respectively formed with horizontal opposing grooves, a flat cover member arranged to overlie the hinged edges of the side bars when said side bars have been folded and the head and footboards have been moved near each other, respective opposing longitudinal marginal projections on said cover member fitting into the respective horizontal grooves of the head and footboards, latch means arranged to connect the folded segments of the side bars to secure said side bars in the folded position, and additional releasable means adapted to connect the top portion of the headboard to the top portion of the footboard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,518,904 King Aug. 15, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 447 Austria Oct. 25, 1899 

1. IN A FOLDING BED, THE COMBINATION OF HEAD AND FOOT BOARDS, A PAIR OF PARALLEL FOLDABLE SIDE BARS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR ENDS TO SAID BOARDS, EACH SIDE BAR BEING HINGED AT ITS MID-PORTION AND ARRANGED SO THAT ITS MID-PORTION IS SWINGABLE UPWARDLY WHEN THE SIDE BAR IS FOLDED, RESPECTIVE ABUTMENT MEMBERS CARRIED BY THE LOWER PORTIONS OF THE HEAD AND FOOTBOARDS AND ARRANGED TO SUPPORTINGLY UNDERLIE THE SIDE BARS WHEN SAID SIDE BARS ARE IN UNFOLDED POSITIONS, RESPECTIVELY INWARDLY SWINGABLE GATE MEMBERS HINGED TO RESPECTIVE DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE VERTICAL MARGINS OF SAID HEAD AND FOOTBOARDS, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID GATE MEMBERS IN PARALLEL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING POSITIONS TO THE REMAINING DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE VERTICAL MARGINS OF SAID HEAD AND FOOTBOARDS, THE INSIDE SURFACES OF THE TOP MARGINAL PORTIONS OF THE HEAD AND FOOTBOARDS BEING RESPECTIVELY FORMED WITH HORIZONTAL OPPOSING GROOVES, A FLAT COVER MEMBER ARRANGED TO OVERLIE THE HINGED EDGES OF THE SIDE BARS WHEN SAID SIDE BARS HAVE BEEN FOLDED UPWARDLY AND THE HEAD AND FOOTBOARDS HAVE BEEN MOVED NEAR EACH OTHER, RESPECTIVE OPPOSING LONGITUDINAL MARGINAL PROJECTIONS ON SAID COVER MEMBER FITTING INTO THE RESPECTIVE HORIZONTAL GROOVES OF THE HEAD AND FOOTBOARDS, INTER-ENGAGEABLE RELEASABLE LATCH MEANS ARRANGED TO CONNECT THE FOLDED SEGMENTS OF THE SIDE BARS TO SECURE THE SIDE BARS IN FOLDED POSITIONS, AND ADDITIONAL RELEASABLE MEANS ADAPTED TO CONNECT THE TOP PORTION OF THE HEADBOARD TO THE TOP PORTION OF THE FOOTBOARD. 